12 Awesome Performances That Saved Underwhelming Films

It seems everyone was more or less on the same page regarding this one. The Girl on the Train was clearly aiming to be 2015's Gone Girl (And that movie wasn't great either), but things didn't work out like that at all. The middling critical reception can be summarized as people praising Emily Blunt's performance but criticizing the rest of the movie. That assessment couldn't be truer.

The Girl on the Train is an overly melodramatic and largely routine thriller that provides twists, endless screaming and little else. Although it's watchable, It really is pretty lame and it's very difficult to take seriously. The film is so full of misery and shouting that it's frankly unpleasant to watch. As for the inevitable big twist... if you don't guess it within the first 20 minutes, that'd be pretty astonishing.

Still, Emily Blunt saves the day. She gives a pretty awesome performance in this movie and really lightens up proceedings. Blunt gives a routine character shade and depth and is the main motive one would have to become emotionally invested in the film at all.

This would've quickly devolved into a lame, lifeless Rear Window rip-off without her providing pathos and fear. Although this film wasn't good enough to get Emily Blunt Oscar recognition, it'll definitely be headed her way some day.